1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the sanitary removal of tubes which are indwelling in the body of a patient. More particularly this invention relates to an apparatus for isolating an indwelling tube and its site of insertion while removing the tube, in order to protect the health care worker and the environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years recognition has come that blood and body fluids, which carry pathogens such as bacteria and the hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency viruses, represent a serious threat to health care workers, and a general biohazard in the environment. Safety practices and health care regulations have accordingly been strengthened, and it now is standard practice for health care workers to employ universal precautions when working with potentially infectious patients, their blood, secretions, and other body fluids.
Indwelling tubes such as chest tubes, endotracheal tubes, nasogastric tubes, and various catheters are commonplace in modern patient care. These tubes are necessarily in contact with potentially hazardous blood and body fluids. When they are removed from the patient there is risk of contamination by direct contact with the exposed tube. Further biohazard is risked in consequence of blood and body fluids dripping from the tube, or flowing from a body orifice or an implantation site during its removal. Some tubes are notoriously difficult to control during removal, which can lead to spattering and spraying of infectious body fluids in the patient area, and even the formation of aerosols which pose a serious health risk to those nearby.
A device for removing monitoring tubes is disclosed in Uddo Jr. et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,762 in which a tube to be removed is received into the open mouth of a canister, and into the blind tip of a fully retracted sheath bonded thereto, after which the tube is pulled out of the patient, and the sheath drawn into full extension therewith. The canister is then capped, enclosing the tube for sanitary disposal. This system does not permit the tube to remain attached to a suction or drain hose during removal, as may be desirable in certain applications, because the tube's free end is immediately isolated prior to delivery from the patient.